Situated on the Ecusta Trail at Lennox Station, Ecusta Market & Café is a neighborhood gathering place for locals and visitors alike.

We opened our doors in November 2024 with a mission to offer high-quality, locally sourced food and a welcoming, community-centered atmosphere. In the market, you’ll find local meats, produce, and dairy; small-batch goods from regional makers; and thoughtful, better-for-you household and personal care products.

Our café is now open and serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily — all counter service with a casual, friendly vibe. Enjoy craft coffee and espresso drinks, incredible pastries, a rotating selection of local beer on draft, and a curated wine menu. Whether you’re fueling up for a ride on the trail, meeting a friend for lunch, or winding down with a glass of wine, we are here to nourish and connect our community.

We are Robert and Emily Gunn, and we love Hendersonville.

A Brevard, NC native, Emily has a long history of working in the service industry, starting as a dishwasher when she was 14 years old. Before opening Ecusta Market & Cafe, Emily spent eleven years with Wicked Weed Brewing Company, starting as a server and ending as their Trade Marketing Manager, with many other roles in-between. She believes in the healing power of sunshine and mountain air, the importance of getting your hands and feet in the dirt, and that a good hike is always the answer.

Originally from Georgia, Robert found his forever home in the Blue Ridge Mountains in 2013 when he moved to Asheville to study natural building and permaculture. After working in management and operations for Chai Pani Restaurant Group for ten years, he took an exciting (and terrifying) leap of faith to work towards the future Ecusta Market & Cafe.

Together, we live on our budding homestead in Hendersonville with our wild and lovely daughters, Maple, Magnolia, and Goldie. This business is our family dream, and we are so excited to share it with you.